“I didn’t think Newcastle were peppering his goal but when we needed him in key moments, he came to the fore.

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“We couldn’t find that cutting edge. I think that maybe our exertions in midweek just took the edge off our play.”

Newcastle may have managed to get skipper Fabricio Coloccini's red card against the Black Cats overturned on appeal.

But the Magpies were still hit by suspension, with midfielder Jack Colback serving a one-match ban ­although he is now out for around six weeks with a knee injury.

The Potters were stoked up by their cup heroics, but Newcastle played their part, too, in a fast and furious opening.

Alexsandar Mitrovic looked lively, but his fourth-minute effort lacked the power to pose any real problem for Butland.

Stoke then felt they were denied a free-kick at least when Bojan Krkic went down on the edge of the 18-yard box under the attentions of Paul Dummett.

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STALEMATE: Neither side could make a breakthrough in a frustrating affair

Newcastle had cause for alarm again on 17 minutes. Charlie Adam produced a wicked left-wing delivery that Newcastle centre-back Chancel Mbemba completely miskicked as it flew across the face of goal ­before Stoke striker Jonathan Walters failed to reach the ball at the far post.

But the home side came desperately close to a breakthrough in the 28th minute.

Moussa Sissoko centred from the left and Mitrovic's header hit the back post before the offside flag went up against Georginio Wijnaldum as Butland frantically scrambled the ball away.

But after all the promise of the opening minutes, it was a first half that had largely fizzled out.

Newcastle striker Ayoze Perez attempted to conjure something special three minutes into the second period when he cut in from the left but curled his finish wide of the far upright.

The Geordies were then awarded a free-kick after Wijnaldum was held back by Glenn Whelan.

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CONGRATS: McClaren talks to Butland after his great display

And Wijnaldum's 25-yard effort had enough dip on it to force Butland to tip over.

But a crucial stop at the other end kept the scoresheet blank on 53 minutes.